Escape from the Sorcerer (Issue 6 adventure)

[The Editor (Alex B)]

Place to discuss the dungeon crawl from issue 6.

[The Editor (Alex B)]

A Hungarian translation was published in issue 8 of Kaland Játék Kockázat.

[champskees]

The first magazine adventure to follow a more simple design, reminiscent of a Livingstone adventure. The result is a fun dungeon romp that requires reasonably high stats due to a few tough encounters and several situations that require a successful luck roll. One new mechanic introduced is the Asurans using 3D6 when fighting. This essentially adds 1-6 Skill every second round, which combined with their 8/9 skill score, makes them tough to beat, especially when you have to face two at a time. The winning path is fairly narrow, with a choice of paths at the beginning the only real choice to make. Personally I felt the only real issue was the amount of information that you needed to keep track of during combats. Counting 20 rounds? Checking if it is an odd or even round? Too cumbersome. 

Skill 10+ and Luck 10+ is recommended for this adventure.

Note that you start the adventure unarmed and suffer a -2 Skill penalty. Also meals only restore 2 points of stamina.

- Break free immediately (1 Damage).
- Fight Sk 7 St 6 Guard.
- If you are still fighting after four rounds: Fight Sk 6 St 6 Guard.
- You now have a sword (+1 Skill).
- Fight Sk 7 St 8 Lizard-Man, Sk 8 St 7 Troll & Sk 7 St 9 Troll together.
- If you are still fighting after 20 rounds: Note that one of the trolls has run off to sound the alarm. Test Luck. Success = Return to the fight. Fail = Death.
- Take sword (Restore Skill to Initial Level).
- Take 4 Meals.
- Head eastwards.
- Investigate it.
- Take Flashpowder (Test Luck when used. Success = all enemies die).
- If one of the trolls ran off:
        o Head eastwards away from the cavern via the new passage.
        o Fight Sk 9 St 8 Giant Scorpion.
        o If hit by enemy & enemy attack strength was even: 4 Damage.
        o You only deal 1 Damage per hit.
        o Head north.
        o See what is behind the door.
        o Take Ring of Distraction (-1 All Enemy Attack Strength, +1 Luck).
        o Test Luck. Fail = 2 Damage.
        o Fight Sk 7 St 8 Guard, Sk 7 St 8 Guard & Sk 6 St 8 Guard together.
        o Search the room.
        o Take Strength Potion (2 Doses, each dose restores 4 Stamina when used).
        o Take 12 Gold Pieces.
        o Take Zyborium ‘170’ (+1 Luck).
        o Add note: Once per battle, if you win an attack round, 6 Damage to enemy.
        o Investigate further.
        o Fight Sk 8 St 10 Asura.
        o Enemy rolls 3D6 for attack strength every second round.
        o Search the room.
        o Search the low wooden cupboards.
        o Take 2 Meals.
        o Take a closer look at the items on the table.
        o Add note: Asura language – consonants and vowels are the proceeding consonants and vowels respectively. Ignore spaces, spaces are last consonant preceding ‘10’ (+2 Luck).
        o Leave through the door by which you entered.
        o Continue down the new passage which doesn’t seem as risky.
        o Follow the other to the east, away from the river.
- If you killed the lizard man and both of the trolls:
        o Retrace your steps to the junction in order to head north.
        o Open the door.
        o Open this door.
        o Restore 2 Stamina.
        o Investigate the room.
        o Take 3 Meals.
        o Search the unconscious guards themselves.
        o Take 10 Gold Pieces.
        o Take Pair of Dice.
        o Take 2 Meals.
        o Leave via the door in the north wall.
        o You did not let a guard raise the alarm.
        o Turn right.
        o Take Strength Potion (2 Doses, each dose restores 4 Stamina when used).
        o Take Skill Potion (2 Doses, each dose gives +2 attack strength next combat when used).
        o Take Skill Potion (2 Doses, each dose gives +2 attack strength next combat when used).
        o Enter the smaller one to the north.
        o Take 10 Gold Pieces.
        o Carry on northwards.
        o Ignore this and continue eastwards.
        o Talk back to ‘her’.
        o Give ‘her’ the dice.
        o Add note: Asura language – consonants and vowels are the proceeding consonants and vowels respectively. Ignore spaces, spaces are last consonant preceding ‘77’ (+2 Luck).
        o Fight Sk 8 St 8 Guard, Sk 7 St 8 Guard & Sk 7 St 7 Guard together.
        o +1 Attack Strength for the first two rounds.
        o Take Shield (If hit by enemy you are fighting, Roll D6. If 2, 4 or 6: Ignore damage).
        o Take 2 Meals (+1 Luck).
        o Follow a narrow path heading southwards along the river.
        o Fight Sk 8 St 6 Pufflin.
        o If hit: Odd round = 3 Damage. Even round = 4 Damage.
        o Take Pufflin Beak.
        o Cross the river here regardless.
        o Test Luck. Fail = Death.
        o Turn south.
- Head north.
- Try the door.
- Open the west door.
- Fight Sk 8 St 10 Asura, Sk 9 St 12 Asura & Sk 9 St 11 Asura together.
- Enemy rolls 3D6 for attack strength every second round.
- +1 Attack Strength for first two rounds.
- Use Flashpowder here (Test Luck. Success = All enemies dead).
- Message on Para 72: To open chest say one eight one.
- Leave by the door in the north wall.
- Take 4 Meals.
- Step back into the passage and head through the northerly archway.
- Stay put.
- Add note: Narasingh will aid you in future (+1 Luck).
- Fight Sk 4 St 5 Chattermidget, Sk 5 St 6 Chattermidget & Sk 4 St 4 Chattermidget together.
- If hit by enemy: 4 Damage & -1 Skill.
- Fight Sk 6 St 7 Goblin, Sk 8 St 7 Guard, Sk 8 St 8 Troll & Sk 6 St 6 Troglodyte together.
- Help her.
- Take 2 Meals.
- Ask her how to get to Kreshnel’s room.
- Add note: To open Kreshnel’s door, add rhyme number to current para (+2 Luck).
- Ask her about anything you should know about the sorcerer.
- You have asked two questions.
- Test Luck. Fail = Death.
- Open the door.
- You know how to open the chest. Turn to Para 181.
- Take Golden Mace ‘143’ (+3 Attack Strength, +1 Luck).
- Head west.
- Fight Sk 6 St 6 Goblin.
- Fight Sk 7 St 8 Guard.
- Fight Sk 6 St 7 Goblin.
- Fight Sk 8 St 8 Guard.
- Take 1 Meal.
- Take the new passage.
- Investigate the table.
- Add note: The balance is the key.
- Head back to the junction & continue down the passageway.
- Message on Para 131: Human Resources.
- Open it.
- Play the part of the applicant.
- D6+6 Test Stamina. Fail = Leave by door you entered.
- If success: D6+4 Test Skill. Leave by door you entered.
- If success:
        o Take Fireflash Staff ‘122’ (+1 Luck).
        o Add note: Once per battle, if you win an attack round, 6 Damage to enemy.
- Message on Para 54: Mask Room.
- Open the door.
- Use Fireflash Staff or Zyborium or take 2 Damage.
- Try wearing the gold mask.
- Restore Skill, Stamina & Luck to Initial Levels.
- Open the door that leads to the east wall.
- Fight Sk 8 St 8 Guard, Sk 9 St 9 Lizard-Man & Sk 7 St 8 Guard together.
- Take 1 Meal.
- Message on Para 3: To enter Grudar Kreshnel room recite this rhyme: oh ruler of seventy six regions may your power grow faster. Let me in to do your bidding, my glorious master.
- Open this door.
- Take 4 Meals.
- Go north.
- Fight Sk 8 St 5 Guard.
- Take 1 Meal.
- Head west.
- Message on Para 65: Kitchen.
- Head down the northerly passage.
- Try the circle button.
- Message on Para 133: One pound.
- Scales puzzle:
        o Length 12 x Weight 1 = 12.
        o Length 4 x Weight y = 4y. y=3.
- Add three bars.
- Message on Para 109: No authorised entry.
- You know how to open it. 27+76=103. Turn to Para 103.
- Fight Sk 7 St 8 Guard.
- Fight Sk 8 St 10 Lizard-Man.
- Fight Sk 9 St 7 Troll.
- Fight Sk 9 St 8 Asura.
- Asura rolls 3D6 for attack strength every second round.
- Fight Sk 8 St 7 Asura.
- Asura rolls 3D6 for attack strength every second round.
- You have met Narasingh.
- Resolve combat between Sk 12 St 18 Grudar Kreshnel & Sk 11 St 14 Narasingh.
- If Grudar wins:
        o Fight Sk 12 St X Grudar Kreshnel until enemy is reduced to 4 Stamina or less OR for 4 rounds.
        o Use Golden Mace. 142+50=193. Turn to Para 193.
- Fight Sk 10 St 10 Artriv until enemy is reduced to 2 Stamina or less.
- Each round, Roll D6. 1-4 = 2 Damage.
- Try a smashing weapon (the mace).
- You have escaped from the sorcerer and saved the kingdom of Alkemis!

[a moderator]

A new playthrough, in which the easing of a lockdown, combined with refusal to practise social distancing, leads to multiple fatalities.

[Peter]

This adventure was hard enough that I needed several attempts to get to the end, without frustrating me into defeat. I gradually learnt which way to go and what items I needed. Which is one of the hallmarks of a well-constructed gamebook, so well done Sunil. And the illustrations added to the atmosphere.

I liked this one. Thank you to those responsible.

[sunil]

Dec 28, 2021 6:46:22 GMT Peter said:

This adventure was hard enough that I needed several attempts to get to the end, without frustrating me into defeat. I gradually learnt which way to go and what items I needed. Which is one of the hallmarks of a well-constructed gamebook, so well done Sunil. And the illustrations added to the atmosphere.

I liked this one. Thank you to those responsible.

Thanks for the kind words and glad you enjoyed it, Peter!